More Than That
by CBIzumi
Summary: He's always loved her, but could never bring himself to tell her. When she comes crying to him for help, can he say those words he's been longing to? Might not be the pairing you expect. R and r!


A/N: Well, here we are again, with yet another one-shot from me! Well, one-shot at original planning, anyway, we'll see what the response is :P Laid out below is a fic about my second favorite Code Lyoko couple, that I've been _dying_ to write about. So, I hope it came out good, but the reviews will tell the truth about that! By the way, let me clarify: This is unrelated to any of my previous Code Lyoko fanfics. Got it? Different story strain. Now that we got that cleared away... It's a songfic; the song I used is "More Than That" by the BSB. Yes, another one of their songs, hush XP If you can find it, download it, it's a good song if you ask me. And probably increases the feeling of the fic if you listen to it while reading :P Finally, I'm sorry for any format issues! Fellow FF dot net members know how.....how to put this nicely......finicky this site can be about that. If it's too bad, I'll just reupload it. And now, enjoy!

**Disclaimer**  
_Code Lyoko and all its characters belong to its rightful creators. Not me. Drat --;_

* * *

Odd fiddled with a skateboard wheel, twirling it around in his fingers, tossing it up in the air, spinning it in his hand, anything but keeping it still. He was almost at the forest's secret underground passage, when he heard an unusual sound behind him. A look over his shoulder brought a cry of surprise, and he turned around just in time to catch a sobbing girl that flew into his arms._I can see that you've been crying  
You can't hide it with a lie  
What's the use in you denying_

"...Aelita??"

_That what you have is wrong_

The young blonde looked at his friend in shock, wondering why she was crying, why she was crying in _his_ grasp. Though, underneath the confused feelings, he could practically feel his heart flutter at her presence, the one he'd admired from afar, but could just never admit it to... Deciding to take charge of the situation, however messed up it seemed to be, he did what he knew of. He cracked a joke.

"Hey there, princess. Trouble in paradise?"

That earned him a swat on the chest, though it was a weak one. The sight of her tear-streaked face as she raised her head gave him pause, and certainly the next few words made his heart stop.

"That's not funny, Odd! Jeremie and I had a fight..."

_I heard him promise you forever_  
_But forever's come and gone_

This was serious, he knew now. Aelita and Jeremie NEVER fought! Odd looked at the crying girl again, placing a comforting hand on her back. Without hesitation, he raised his other hand, wiping away her tears.

"It's alright... Don't cry..."

"But Odd...!" Aelita's voice skipped, and she shut her eyes tight against a new wave of tears as she shook her head. "I don't understand how-how he could have said those things... He was so-so mad..." He held her close as she began sobbing again, one hand scrunching the fabric of his shirt in her fist. With closing eyes, he gently rubbed her back.

_Baby, he would say whatever  
It takes to keep you blind  
To the truth between the lines_

"What happened...?" Odd practically dreaded the question before he even asked it; but he had to know. However, seeing those reddened eyes as she looked again made him sorry he'd said it. She stuttered for a few moments on the first word, and he hugged her close again, stroking a hand through her hair, something he'd always wanted to do.. But not like this.

"Oh Odd..." Those simple words jerked in her throat, even as she said them.

"Shh, shh.... take your time... I'm not going anywhere..."

He was sorry to see her leave when she took a step back, raising a hand to clean away her tears as she tried to gather the words, the ability, to speak. Watching her, he listened with genuine concern when she finally, haltingly, explained.

"We...we were t-trying to find the anti-virus... He didn't agree wi-ith my idea, I didn't agree with his... And..and he just exploded...." A fresh wail broke off the end of the statement, and he went to her, his hands going to her shoulders, before he took her against him again.

_Oh, I will love you more than that  
I won't say the words, then take them back  
Don't give loneliness a chance  
Baby, listen to me when I say_

"Aelita, don't cry... Don't cry...." He swallowed to keep his own voice under control.

_I will love you more than that_

"Odd... I don't..I don't understand..." The only words spoken for a long moment, when her cries had quieted to only silent tears that streamed from pools of green. These wet emeralds focused on her friend as she lifted her head again.

"People fight... It's just what...what people do..." A feeble explanation at best, he knew, but she seemed to listen. He brushed away her tears for a second time, as she let her head fall.

"But...Jeremie and I never fight..."

Yeah, he knew that too.

"But it..." He paused, as he struggled with his words for a moment. This was a lot harder than he ever thought it would be. Comforting a friend, comforting _Aelita_. "It had to happen at some point..."

_Baby, you deserve much better  
What's the use in holding on?  
Don't you see it's now or never_

"Aelita... I know it's bad..." When he couldn't look into her eyes any longer, he closed his own against the vision and turned his head. "But you can't...you can't let it get to you..."

_'Cause I just can't be friends  
Baby, knowing in the end that_

He could almost feel the heat in his cheeks building in the silence that stretched after that. He couldn't bear to look at her, at her troubled face, but he couldn't just turn her away, either. Not when he felt..this way about her... For so long... And when she was troubled...like this...

_I will love you more than that  
I won't say the words, then take them back_

"I...I guess so..." Those simple, whispered words brought his eyes back to her. "But it...it hurts..."

_Don't give loneliness a chance  
Baby, listen to me when I say  
Hey..._

"I know it does." Odd ran his hand down her shoulder, finding himself wishing he could just take her away from all this. Wishing she would come with him.

_There's not a day that passes by  
I don't wonder why we haven't tried  
It's not too late to change your mind_

His breath caught when she turned away, eventually backing out of his grasp. Without a thought, he took a step towards her, whispering her name.

_Take my hand  
Don't say goodbye_

"What do I do now?" That question froze him, but only momentarily before he found himself answering, though he was surprised at the words that came out.

"You... You need to talk to him, Aelita." He asked himself if he'd really said those things, to her. He knew he wanted her, but he guessed his sense of right was overriding his desire, and he just kept talking.

Even if every word burned.

"You need to go back to his room... Talk it over with him... You just can't let it be like this..." He figuratively bit his own tongue, one side of him angry at himself, as he watched her actually consider those words. He waited, silent, not wanting to hear the result, but knowing what it'd be all the same.

_I will love you more than that  
I won't say the words, then take them back_

Aelita sighed, looking like she was unsure of what to do with her hands as she stood there, the tears still falling, slower now. She stared off, finally closing her eyes, giving one last skip of breath. He watched her all the while, taking in every moment, savoring even the pain of it. For the future, perhaps...

"I....I should..."

Those words hit him like a wave of cold water. And still, he stayed silent.

_Oh, I will love you more than that  
I won't say the words, then take them back  
Don't give loneliness a chance  
Baby, listen to me when I say_

He had to do one more thing. Pulling down his sleeve, he swept away her tears for good, as he pulled her to him one last time.

_I will love you more..._

"...That's what you need to do..." He swallowed hard, feeling his hands tremble lightly, ignoring it, but wondering if she could feel it too. "You can't... can't let it be like this... Aelita..."

His heart leapt when she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him lightly before ultimately stepping back, her hand sliding down his arm as she moved away. They held hands for one blissful, all too brief moment, before the connection broke.

"Thank you, Odd." She looked ready to cry again, and yet she smiled. "I just...needed someone to talk to."

"Yeah I," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I understand."

_Oh, I will love you more than that  
I won't say the words, then take them back_

"I'll go to his room, then. See you later?"

"Yeah...later..."

_Don't give loneliness a chance_

The next thing he knew, she had given him a kiss on the cheek. There was that smile he adored, met by a look of surprise from him as he lightly cupped the spot with one hand.

"Thank you."

And in the next instant, she was gone, running back for the building, mission in mind. He stared after her for a long, long time, even after she'd vanished inside.

_Baby, listen to me when I say_

When time finally caught back up to him, Odd hung his head a bit, letting his shoulders sink. He knelt down, grabbing the discarded wheel and slipping it into his pocket as he straightened. With one glance over his shoulder as he turned, he once again headed for the secret passage, a great deal more subdued than before, now that..she..had come and gone. He sighed.

_I will love you more than that..._

* * *


End file.
